Articles
CONTROL OF GREEN PEACH APHID MYZUS PERSICAE IN ORGANIC PLUM ORCHARDS
Article number
1001_11
Pages
115 – 120
Language
English
Abstract
The green peach aphid (Myzus persicae (Sulzer)) is a limiting pest in organic plum (Prunus domestica L.) production in different regions of the world, resulting in defoliation and premature fruit drop.
The efficacy of two botanical insecticides, VGP (Melia azedarach 80%, Allium sativum 8% and Casuarina cunninghamiana 12%) 500 ml 100 L-1 and NeemAzal (Azadirachtin 1.2%) at a rate of 350 ml 100 L-1 was assessed and compared with an untreated control.
Petal-fall insecticide applications were carried out on 25 September 2010. Owing to the pest population density increase in the VGP treatment, it was reapplied 20 days later (on 14 October 2010). The experimental design was completely randomized, with 4 replications per treatment, 3 trees per replication and 5 shoots per tree (60 shoots per treatment). Weekly sampling took place until 12 November; from that date, the number of green peach aphids decreased in all treatments due to the predatory action of lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), especially in the control.
NeemAzal was the most effective insecticide, keeping populations under 15 aphids per shoot during the period of highest risk of M. persicae attack (45 days after petal fall). Moreover, the size and number of fruit and the foliage remained unaffected.
The efficacy of two botanical insecticides, VGP (Melia azedarach 80%, Allium sativum 8% and Casuarina cunninghamiana 12%) 500 ml 100 L-1 and NeemAzal (Azadirachtin 1.2%) at a rate of 350 ml 100 L-1 was assessed and compared with an untreated control.
Petal-fall insecticide applications were carried out on 25 September 2010. Owing to the pest population density increase in the VGP treatment, it was reapplied 20 days later (on 14 October 2010). The experimental design was completely randomized, with 4 replications per treatment, 3 trees per replication and 5 shoots per tree (60 shoots per treatment). Weekly sampling took place until 12 November; from that date, the number of green peach aphids decreased in all treatments due to the predatory action of lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), especially in the control.
NeemAzal was the most effective insecticide, keeping populations under 15 aphids per shoot during the period of highest risk of M. persicae attack (45 days after petal fall). Moreover, the size and number of fruit and the foliage remained unaffected.
Publication
Authors
L.I. Cichon, S.A.S. Garrido, J.D. Lago, M.F. Menni
Keywords
botanical insecticide, organic control, plum production
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